TWEEN Safety In and Around Vehicles
Lifesavers 2007 Conference Jacqueline Dukehart
Tweens Children ages 814 • A changing world; today’s children are:
• More sophisticated • Encouraged and free to make choices and decisions • Beginning to go through physical changes puberty
Tweens and Traffic Safety • Total traffic fatalities are more than double for children ages 814 than for younger children. • Pedestrian fatalities show a similar trend: more older children injured and killed by vehicles than younger children
Tweens and Traffic Safety • In fatal crashes: • Tweens are more likely to be unrestrained in a vehicle than children ages 7 and under.
• At Safe Kids CSS Checkup Events: • Tweens unlikely to attend • 91% of all CSS event attendees were ages 4 and under.
Safe Kids Tweens Program • Safe Kids focused on the young tween, ages 810. • Simultaneous education for parents and young tweens • Booster seats and seat belts • Safety around vehicles • Safety in all vehicles (no matter who is driving)
Educational Stations • Safe Kids designed an educational program including 45 safety stations to address: Safety In and Around Vehicles. • Group learning exercise for young tweens and parents. • Piloted with the Cub Scouts of America • Expanded to involve age appropriate community groups for CPS week 2007.
Reaching Underserved Families Underserved Communities: • Safe Kids Worldwide’s working definition: • Communities where injury prevention messages, services, knowledge, and resources that have been proven to lead to improved health outcomes are not available, easily attained, or appropriately communicated.
Pilot Educational Stations • Held at Chevrolet dealerships and at community locations • 45 stations were set up with 1 demonstration vehicle available per station.
Station 1: Safety Belt Fit Test • Tween weights and heights taken and recorded. • A parent sat in a vehicle back seat to demonstrate seat belt correct fit • Each tween sat in a vehicle and was tested to see whether they “fit” the adult lap and shoulder belt • A certified CPS technician then determined if the tween would ride safer with or without a booster seat.
Station 2: Spot The Tot • Parents were taught to walk completely around a vehicle before entering to look for children, pets and toys. • Using the mat, and a parent driver, tweens saw how hard it was for drivers to see them when they were near cars.
Station 3: Never Leave Your Child Alone • Parents and kids were taught that children should always be with an adult when in a vehicle. • Dangers inside a vehicle • Heat – demonstration car set up with an inside and outside thermometer
Station 4: Preventing Trunk Entrapment • Tweens were taught to never hide or play in trunks; trunks should only be used for cargo. • Parents and tweens were shown the “glow in the dark” trunk release handle found in cars made after 2001.
Station 5: OnStar • At Cub Scout events, a 5th station was included to teach parents and tweens the benefits of having OnStar. • OnStar contacts an operator in case of an emergency • Tweens should talk to the operator
CPS Week 2007 Taking the Program to Communities • 195 In and Around Cars events across the US during CPS Week 2007 • Preliminary attendance numbers: over 5,000 • 45 scouts packs attended (including Boy, Girl and Cub Scouts) • 15 Boys and Girls clubs reached • 130 other community groups reached
CPS Week 2007 – Parent Research A child should be at least ___ tall to safely ride in an adult lap and shoulder seat belt. 36% → 53% • 4 feet 9 inches How much should a child weigh to best fit in a booster seat? 49% → 70% • 40 – 80 pounds What is the safest position for a lap and shoulder seat belt? 73% → 85% • Across the collar bone and hips Can a car's locked trunk ever be opened from the inside? 39% → 71% • Only in newer cars Total number of parents = 90
CPS Week 2007 – Tween Research Where should the lap part of the seat belt fit on your body? • • • •
Across your stomach Across your hips and upper legs Across your knees I don’t know
Correct: 63% → 84% Total number of tweens = 84
CPS Week 2007 – Tween Research Can a car's locked trunk ever be opened from the inside? • • • •
Yes No Only in some cars I don’t know
Correct: 27% → 61% Total number of tweens = 84
CPS Week 2007 – Tween Research When can kids play near parked cars or in driveways? • • • • •
When there is an adult watching When the car is in the driveway at home When a car is turned off Never I don’t know
Correct: 44% → 64% Total number of tweens = 84
CPS Week 2007 – Tween Research Adults should not leave babies and kids alone in cars because: • • • •
Inside the car can get very hot Children can get hurt by playing alone in a car All of the above I don’t know
Correct: 63% → 74% Total number of tweens = 84
Tweens – Lessons Learned • The SKBU events were most successful as group activities: Tweens learned well among their peers. • Most successful events were those where the tween and the parents were both learning together. • Many tweens were extremely surprised at how much more comfortable a booster seat was and how much better they could see out the vehicle window.
Tweens – Lessons Learned • Worked best with existing Tween groups, school groups, scouts, boys and girls clubs. Hard to create a new community group without existing infrastructure. • Difficult to get parents and tweens to come to a location, ex. a dealership, feedback suggested it will work better going to where they are, ex. a church, school.
Next Steps: Older Tweens Ages 11-12 Safe Kids Buckle Up plans to address the issues of the older tween ages 1112 for CPS Week 2008.
Questions Jacqueline Dukehart Injury Epidemiologist Safe Kids Worldwide
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